Identity theft scheme leader gets 10-year prison sentence

Updated 2:37 pm, Saturday, August 12, 2017

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) — The leader of an elaborate identity theft and mortgage fraud scheme that stole nearly $1 million from various lenders is now headed to prison.

New Jersey authorities say Artis Hunter received a 10-year sentence Friday. The 50-year-old Union Township man had pleaded guilty in May to a money laundering charge.

The state Attorney General's office says Hunter and two other people conspired to use stolen and phony identities to dupe lenders into giving them loans and lines of credit.

The trio provided numerous falsified documents featuring signatures from people who either didn't exist or were unaware of the transactions. Authorities say conspirators in the scheme stole more than $930,000 in mortgage loans, home equity credit lines and a car loan.